Here at Midrive, we’re determined to reinvent the driving and insurance market for the digital generation. Today, we’re proud to announce that the Midrive Learner app is being launched to help people improve learner drivers’ safety awareness and track their progress, ready for the law change that came into play today (4 June 2018).

The new rules will mean that first time learner drivers who are ready to take their test will be allowed to have motorway driving lessons at up to 70 mph with an Approved Driving Instructor.

Midrive.com launched in 2014 to raise the bar of an industry that has remained static for decades. With the traditional approach to preparing new drivers for the road being widely criticised, we’re on a mission to drastically improve the way people learn to drive ‒ one that is easier to navigate, less expensive, and ultimately produces better, safer drivers.

The new MidriveLearner App features a digital curriculum which includes modules for motorway driving, in addition to insightful lesson reports, and easy lesson scheduling with instructors qualified for motorway lessons. The free smartphone app is available today on both the Apple and Android app stores. It was previously only available in the app stores as a test version and did not include motorway driving. With the official launch, Midrive hopes to encourage both learners and instructors to safely take advantage of the learning opportunity the law change enables. Over 300,000 learners have already gained their independence using our other driving apps, which include theory test preparation and hourly learner insurance.

Highways England, the body responsible for the country’s motorways, had planned to launch their own free smartphone app to help learner drivers but it has been delayed until later this year. We’re hoping to help fill the gap while pushing for higher standards in driving instruction. Midrive learners are already 38% more likely to pass the test first time and require 17 fewer lessons than the UK national average.

In the past, learner drivers’ first experience of driving at higher speeds had been limited to using dual carriageways and only when they had passed their driving test could they get their first taste of driving on a motorway. For some newly passed and inexperienced drivers, this could prove to be a frightening experience they were not fully prepared for.

In general, more data-driven insight for learners on the most common mistakes and where to improve is critically needed because of the almost 1 million people who learn to drive each year, 53% fail their first test. Of those who pass, 1 in 5 crash in the first 6 months. This makes the cost of learning and getting insured incredible expensive.

Midrive’s technology has been shown to help learners progress in their lessons faster, feel better prepared, and most critically, pass-first time. The average learner saves over £425 as a result.

Midrive CEO, Asher Ismail, said:

“For an industry that has historically been slow to progress, today’s law change is an exciting step forward. We’re thrilled to be part of it with the launch of this app. We plan to further develop the Midrive learner app and launch other tools that enable new drivers to learn faster and smarter.”

Former CEO of the DVSA and Midrive Advisory Board Member, Alastair Peoples, added:

“Learners being allowed on motorways is one of the biggest changes to happen in driving education in the last 10 years. Learning to drive is not just about passing the test, but developing the skills to be a safer driver and that’s much harder without the right tools. The launch of Midrive’s new app features to support motorway driving skills will ensure learners make the most of this new opportunity.”

Further information from Highways England

The law change will allow learner drivers to:

get broader driving experience before taking their driving test,

get training on how to join and leave the motorway, overtake and use lanes correctly,

practise driving at higher speeds and,

put their theoretical knowledge into practice.

The Department for Transport consulted on these changes in December 2016, they received wide support from learner drivers, the driver training industry and road safety organisations and the general public. These changes apply to England, Wales and Scotland only. The law applies to drivers of cars only (licence category B).